MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — A Sioux Falls woman lost approximately $201,000 after being targeted by a scammer posing as an FBI agent, according to Sioux Falls Police Information Officer Sgt. Aaron Benson.
Police say the scam began when the victim was contacted by someone claiming to be with the FBI and was instructed to move money into an account the caller controlled. She initially transferred $48,000, followed by another $5,500 in bitcoin. The scammer later directed her to withdraw a large sum from her retirement account.
“At this point, the victim stated that she transferred $170,000 out of this account and to the account that she was given from the person posing as an FBI agent,” Benson said. Police do not expect the funds to be recoverable, consistent with similar recent cases involving cryptocurrency and out-of-state transfers.
Benson cautioned that instructions to send money to unfamiliar accounts or convert funds into cryptocurrency are strong indicators of fraudulent activity.
As International Fraud Awareness Week continues, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is reminding residents to stay alert to increasingly sophisticated scams, especially those delivered by text message.
“They’re not just annoying — they’ve been able to scam South Dakotans out of more than $4 million in one single case, and so it’s serious,” Jackley said in a statement linked to the Attorney General’s Office.
Common red flags include fake delivery notifications, bank alerts, government impersonators and fraudulent job offers. Jackley encourages residents to slow down, verify unexpected messages and avoid any request to convert money into cryptocurrency or gift cards.